It’s almost that time of year when suits and ties transform into Levi's and bolos — and Rodeo Houston is gearing up to bring in record numbers this year.

“It is like drinking from a fire hose right now,” Skip Wagner, CEO and president of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Inc., told Houston Business Journal, regarding preparations for the largest entertainment and livestock show in the world.

For an article in HBJ's Feb. 8 edition, I sat down with Wagner at Rodeo Houston headquarters to discuss his leadership style, what should be done with the decaying Astrodome building and the organization’s recent $42.8 million purchase of the old Astroworld site as a long-term investment.

"We treat this very much as a business; we are very financially driven. We are market research-driven," said Wagner, who is in his eighth year as CEO of the rodeo's almost 100 full-time employees.

Read more from HBJ’s 2013 special section on Rodeo Houston available to print and digital subscribers.

Wagner also oversees the rodeo’s 28,000 volunteers — up from 24,000 two years ago — who save the show an estimated $20 million in payroll costs, freeing up funds to go toward scholarships — the focal point of the nonprofit.

George Strait will perform the last Sunday of the show, which will have no rodeo component. The addition of the show makes Rodeo Houston one day longer this year, running 21 days.

Rodeo Houston is projecting 1.3 million paid attendees this year, a 1.3 percent increase over last year, based on current ticket sales. When George Strait’s performance is included, this year’s projected number jumps to 1.37 million.

"Our auction committees are hitting on all cylinders and our (ticket) presales — all those are trending in the right direction," Wagner said on breaking records this year.